Earlier this month, Grey effectively swiped some Procter & Gamble business from BBDO as the client moved to consolidate the whole of its grooming brands with one agency after awarding Gillette to Grey in 2013.
In that new business memo more than two years ago, Grey Chairman/CEO Jim Heekin started his thank you list with four names: CCO Tor Myhren, COO Michael Houston, and account leads Tamara Ingram (formerly group EVP/executive managing director) and Debby Reiner (former EVP/group director).
In the wake of the win, the latter two have been promoted: Ingram will fill the role of chief client team officer at parent company WPP while retaining leadership of “Team P&G” and Reiner will be president of the global P&G group overseeing Grey’s work for all related brands.
Here’s the memo.
I am pleased to share two important promotions with you which concern Tamara Ingram and Debby Reiner, our Procter & Gamble account leaders.
Tamara has been promoted to a key new post at our parent company, WPP. She will become Chief Client Team Officer of WPP, overseeing all of WPP’s global accounts, working with the leaders of the Team WPP groups that have been established to serve global clients. I am pleased to say she will continue as President and CEO of Team P&G across WPP group and remain based at Grey headquarters in New York.
After leading two of Britain’s top agencies, Saatchi and McCann,Tam joined Grey London in 2005, rising to the post of Grey UK Group CEO. In 2007, she took on the dual roles of President and CEO of Team P&G across WPP group as well as Grey’s global leader on P&G.
Under Tam’s leadership, the past eight years have been some of the most creative, productive and dynamic of our nearly 60-year partnership with P&G. We’ve pioneered new markets and new marketing channels. We’ve launched Famously Effective ideas that have put our juggernaut brands front and center in the pop culture conversation and driven their growth. We have broadened our relationship, winning the Gillette business. And our work has been hailed at Cannes and beyond as never before. Tam will bring the same passion, skill and dynamism to her expanded new role.
Importantly, I am delighted to announce that Debby Reiner, an integral part of this success as our EVP, Partner and Global Beauty Director on P&G, has been promoted to President Grey/Global P&G, overseeing our entire portfolio of brands. She will remain based in New York.
Debby joined Grey New York in 1989 fresh out of Harvard and embraced her passion for the beauty business, working on CoverGirl. After a successful stint running Clairol at JWT, she came home to Grey in 1999 to lead the reinvention of Pantene.
It has been quite a ride marked by Debby’s instrumental role in the global win of Gillette and, most recently, the Venus, Braun and The Art of Shaving brands. Along the way, she has helped build Grey into the number one beauty agency in the world with such leading brands as Pantene, Clairol, CoverGirl and fragrances and an integrated offering that encompasses digital, shopper, Hispanic and activation.
Debby’s boundless energy, single-minded dedication to creativity, success at team-building and sense of humor have endeared her to her clients and colleagues alike.
Please give both Tam and Debby your congratulations and full support as we begin an exciting new chapter helping P&G seize the future.
Regards,
GREYgroup | Famously effective since 1917
Jim Heekin, Chairman & CEO